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woon L CHAPMAN.

M'dd of Filling Marshes.

Patented Nov. 10, 1868.

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JOHN B. WOOD, OE JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, AND JOHN T CHAPMAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.A

Letters Patent No. 83,895, dated November 10, 1868.

JMPROVED MODE OF FILLING MARSHE The Schedule referred to in there Letters Patent and making part of the same.

.of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Apparatus for Filling in Marshes and Lowlands; and that the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, hereinalter referred to, forms a full and exact speciication of the same, wherein we have set forth the nature and' principles of our said improvement, bywhich our invention may be distinguished from all others of a similar class, together with such parts as we claim, and desire to have secured to us by Letters Patent.

. This invention relates to a new and improved apparatus or means for dlling in marshes and lowlands, as hereinafter fully shown anddescribed, whereby the work may be done much more rapidly and economically than hitherto.

The invention consists in driving into the marsh cr lowland to be iilled in, a series of piles in parallel rows, and extending a suitable distance above the surface of the marsh, according to the depth ofthe filling required,

and placing on said piles a series of caps, which are so attached or applied as, to be removable and adjustable at pleasure, and using, in connection with said removable and adjustable caps, a iiexible car-track, all being constructed and arranged in such a manner that the desired-work may be done in a very expeditious and economical manner.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings,

Figure l represents a plan or top view of our invention.

Figure 2, a side view ofthe same.

' Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding 4parts in the'several drawings.

A represents a series of piles which are driven into the marsh or lowland to be filled in, and have their tops a suitable distance above the surface of the marsh, according to the depth of lling required. These piles Aare arranged in rows parallel with each other, and at any desired or suitable distance apart, and the upper lends of the piles are halved or notched out to receive .ber secured to the piles by screw-bolts or' otherwise.

These caps B are of variable and indefinite lengths. If they were obtained all of onelength, and sawed te order, their. price would be comparatively high, but by purchasing them of diii'erent lengths as out from logs of varying lengths, they may be obtained at a reasonable price.

O represents a car-track, composed of two rails, a a', connectedby cross-ties l) at suitable distances apart. This track is iexible, that is to say, its rails c are made of such dimensions that they will bend or curve in a lateral direction. They may be made of wood, having a light iron or steel shoe or rail, c, bolted on their upper surfaces. These rails, both the iron-and the wood portions, may be of any suitable lengths, connected together by any proper joints. The track rests upon the y caps B, but has no special attachment, its own weight' being suicient to keep it in place in any desired position, and admit of an engine being run upon it with one or more loaded cars, without any trouble or difficulty whatever, the track at all times being moved in a series of curves.

The piles A are driven into the marsh or lowland, over its entire surface, and the caps B, one, two, or more lengths, are placed on the piles A at the side of the marsh where the filling in is to commence. The loaded carsare run on `the track, and their contents dumped at one side of the same until the marsh is iilled in to the level of the track at the side where the cars are dumped. One end of the track is then'moved laterally, by means of chains or ropes and windlasses, to thev position shown in redin g. l. This, it will be seen, leaves a space to continue the filling in, and the track, by being thus moved, by reason of its flexibility',

admits of the cars being run upon it, and the filling-in process continued without any interruption whatever, the track being moved or curved from time to time as indicated by the several positions in colored outline, as shown in fig. l. v

Besides this adjustment of the dexible track, the caps B are moved or shifted on the piles A, from time to time, as the track reaches their ends, and as these caps vary in length, it will be seen that they may be moved, or the shifting-process kept up, without interfering with the running of the cars or the filling in of the marsh.

The advantage of the invention consists in the rapidity and `economy attending the execution of the work. There is no delay in the running cf the cars, nor inthe shifting of the track; neither is there any delay inthe shifting of the caps on the piles. The work oi' lling in may, therefore, be kept up without interruption, from day to day, until finished.

It will be understood, of course, that when the track reaches the ends of short caps, the latter are detached from the piles, moved or carried over the track, and attachedito the piles at the opposite side, there being at all times a requisite number of caps in position to support the track and cars running upon it. The cars may be moved by a dummy or stationary engine.

When the marsh is lled in, the caps B are detached and removed, as they may be usedagain for future work, but the piles are lett in the marsh, as the expense of drawing them would amount to more than their value.

Having lthus described our invention,

What we claim as new, and desire to secure bv Letters Batent, is-

The removable and adjustable caps B, secured to piles A, in combination with the adjustable flexible track C, all constructed and arranged to operate in the manner substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth. l

J GEEN B. WOOD.` JOHN T. CHAPMAN. Witnesses:

H. L. Warrnnnnne, A. RVHAIGHT. 

